Level 4 Improvement Practitioner Apprenticeship Programme Guide

LEVEL 4 IMPROVEMENT PRACTITIONER APPRENTICESHIP

Level 4 Improvement Practitioner Apprenticeship Programme Duration:14 months plus up to 3 months for End Point Assessment

What will be achieved?

Upon completion of your apprenticeship, you will receive: Level 4 Improvement Practitioner Standard Certificate Level 2 Functional Skillsin English and/or mathematics (if not exempt) As well as achieving your certificate(s) you will gain skills in problem-solving, communication and presentation, coaching and motivating others and detailed data analysis

Planning The Principles of Continuous Improvement Team Formation and Leadership Change Management Identify the Problem and Validate Containment Action Planning and Compliance Data Collection Planning Voice of the Customer (VoC)

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Programme delivery This programme is delivered using a blended learning approach, combining face-to-face tutorials with online learning resources and support including: Tutorials and one-to-one mentoring E-portfolio and e-learning Additional learning and training arranged by your employer, this may include job shadowing/in house training programmes relevant to the course and dedicated time in your day to study, of at least 6 hours per week 2-hour one-to-one visits every 4 to 6 weeks with a dedicated tutor and formal quarterly progress reviews with your manager and tutor.

The apprenticeship journey The Level 4 Improvement Practitioner apprenticeship standard sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours that is required to lead on improvement intiatives. The programme has been structured around three key themes of learning to support learners develop their knowledge and skills in a logical manner:

Implementation Data Analysis Process Mapping Project Management Methodology and Tools Root Cause Analysis and Lean Tools Identification, Prioritisation and Action Planning Trialing and Experimentation (PDSA Cycles) Implementation and Confirmation

Reporting Sustaining Improvement and Control Benchmarking, Scale-Up and Spread Reviewing, and A3 Reporting Methodology

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Who is the programme for and what will be involved?

Improvement practitioners use a blend of Lean and Six Sigma, project and change management principles and tools to identify and lead the delivery of change across organisational functions and processes. Improvement practitioners can be found across all sectors and functions including automotive, banking, engineering, food products, IT, property, retail, telecoms etc.

Typically, practitioners lead smaller projects and/or play a key supporting role in a larger programme – tackling issues that may require swift problem solving or recurring challenges that require in-depth analysis and the implementation of a range of effective and sustainable countermeasures. They are the focal point for all stakeholders and responsible for communication throughout a project. Typical activities include: identifying potential opportunities, diagnosing issues, proposing solutions and implementing changes and controls coaching teams and sharing best practice leading projects and managing small teams, ensuring motivation and momentum, and being responsible for the successful

Learners will be assigned a qualified tutor to provide them with help and support delivered by a blended learning approach combining on and off-the-job training to ensure they develop the skills required for their role.

Learners with support from their tutor, as needed, complete a range of online learning modules that develop their underpinning knowledge of a broad range of management tasks and concepts. The learning from these topics is holistically assessed through the completion of a range of formal assessment tasks that contribute to their portfolio of evidence and presentations. To achieve this, learners must have at least 6 hours of protected study time each week.

In addition to developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to be a successful Improvement Practitioner, learners will need to achieve level 2 Functional Skills qualifications in English and maths and be committed to achieving these qualifications in the first nine months of their apprenticeship (unless they have GCSE equivalents at grades 9 - 4/A* - C in these subjects).

Learners will develop competence and confidence at work with a range of resources designed to allow access to online learning, videos, workshops and more.

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End Point Assessment (EPA) This programme is formally assessed by an independent end point assessor using three methods weighted 10%, 60% and 30% respectively Multiple Choice Exam (10%) The multiple-choice examination will contain 40 knowledge-based questions and have a time limit of 40-minutes.

The multiple-choice examination is an open book exam. Reference books can be used but access to the internet is prohibited.

Project Report, Presentation and Questioning (60%) The report must follow each step of one of the recognised problem-solving methodologies e.g.

‘Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control’ (DMAIC), ‘8 Disciples (8D)’, ‘Practical Problem Solving’.

The report should: • Be a concise, visual summary • Follow the principles of “A3 Thinking” • Convey key points in a way that enables messages to be grasped “within 3 seconds” • Be typically one to three sides of A3 The apprentice will have to produce a presentation based on the project report and deliver this to the End point assessor who will then be able to question the apprentice based upon the information contained in the presentation.

Professional Discussion underpinned by CPD Log (30%) The log will typically reference between 13 and 15 pieces of evidence, with at least one piece covering each of the standards. The log will then be used as the focal point of the professional discussion and as such will not be assessed in itself as a separate assessment method.

The independent assessor will ask the apprentice between 13 and 15 open questions relating to the log and can if deemed necessary, ask further follow-up questions for clarification to elicit evidence that all the required standards have been attained.

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LEVEL 4 IMPROVEMENT PRACTITIONER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME MATRIX 2

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• Introduction to your course Written Assignment tasks to be completed and submitted via • Safeguarding Aptem • Online safety • British values and Prevent • Task 1 - CI Principles strategy • Task 2 - Team Formation and Leadership • Equality and diversity • Task 3 - Change Management • Introduction to Functional • Task 4 - Identify the Problem and Validate skills • Task 5 - Containment Action Planning and Compliance • Take control of your future • Task 6 - Data Collection Planning • Task 7 - Voice of the Customer (VoC) • Complete 3 CPD Logs covering Team Formation, Change Management and Compliance • Collect evidence of planning and the tools you have used

Learning topics: • Data Analysis • Process Mapping • Project Management Methodology and Tools • Root Cause Analysis and Lean Tools • Identification, Prioritisation and Action Planning • Trialling and Experimentation (PDSA Cycles) • Implementation and Confirmation Written Assignment tasks to be completed and submitted via Aptem

• Task 1 - Data Analysis • Task 2 - Process Mapping • Task 3 - Project Management Methodology and Tools • Task 4 - Root Cause Analysis and Lean Tools • Task 5 - Identification, Prioritisation and Action Planning • Task 6 - Trialling and Experimentation (PDSA Cycles) • Task 7 - Implementation and Confirmation

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Theme 3: Review and Control Sustain the change, scale-up and spread before reporting on the impact of change

End of theme assessment (Theme 2)

Introduction modules:

Learning topics: • The Principles of Continuous Improvement • Team Formation and Leadership • Change Management • Identify the Problem and Validate • Containment Action Planning and Compliance • Data Collection Planning • Voice of the Customer (VoC)

End of theme assessment (Theme 1)

Apprenticeship knowledge, skills, and behaviours

Theme 1: Planning and Scope Theme 2: Change and Implementation Making use of the resources available to identify an improvement and create a project charter, including Identify the root causes of issues, map the process, trial and experiment with aims and purpose. Plan how to support and coach others. Plan how to take the lead on a project solutions before implementing the change(s)

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Learning topics: • Sustaining Improvement and Control • Benchmarking, Scale-Up and Spread • Reviewing, and A3 Reporting Methodology

Written Assignment tasks to be completed and submitted via Aptem • Complete 3 CPD logs reflecting on sustaining the change and reporting • Create an A3 report from your Improvement Project • Complete an evidence mapping matrix

• Complete 7 CPD logs reflecting on the tools your have used • Collect evidence of data analysis, root cause analysis, testing and implementation and the tools you have used

Behaviours developed throughout programme: Throughout you apprenticeship you will develop and demonstrate the following behaviours • Drive for results: Continuous drive for change and encourages others to deliver results across functional areas capturing and standardising best practice • Team-working: Awareness of own and others’ working styles. Creates high performing team • Professionalism: Promotes a moral, legal and socially appropriate working manner, aligns behaviours to the organisations values. Maintains flexibility to needs of project • Continuous development: Proactively seeks and acts on feedback. Reflects on performance and has a desire for development. Adapts quickly to working with new situations/stakeholders/challenges • Safe working: Ensures safety of self and others, speaks out to challenge safety issues

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Gateway: During this meeting you will confirm you and your employer are ready for End Point Assessment and submit your Evidence Mapping Matrix

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Mock end point assessment (Theme 3)

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End Point Assessment Period

Live Assessment Day (LAD): Method 1: Multi-Choice Exam 40 questions to assess knowledge and understanding [40 mins]

Live Assessment Day (LAD): Method 2:Project Presentation and Questioning Assessment To assess skills and behaviours concerning project improvement

Lasts up to 75 minutes, 40 minute presentation and 35 minutes of questioning

Live Assessment Day (LAD): Method 3: Professional Discussion Based on CPD logs and Evidence produced during your project to assess skills and behaviours.

English and maths

[50 minutes ] Development of English and maths skills •Speaking, listening and communication assesment to be completed by month 4 •Reading, writing and/or maths exams to be completed by month 9

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Contact us Hawk Management (UK) Limited, Regal House, 70 London Road, Twickenham, London TW1 3QS

020 8891 0992

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